The Bezel and Its Central Role in the Diver’s Watch

A diver’s watch usually has two main features: an underwater ISO 6425 rating that meets global standards for diving, and the rotating bezel, which is the main component used for diving to measure the remaining minutes of a diver’s air supply. Many Seiko watches, modded or not, carry custom versions of these crucial bezel parts for easy viewing and operation underwater for maximum performance.

Here are the facts and features of the bezel and its central role in providing alternate, adjustable oxygen time underwater. 

The Rotating Bezel’s Main Features

A rotating bezel is an integral part of diving watches. It carries a standard measure of 60 minutes inscribed on the whole piece. It’s adjustable either unidirectionally or bidirectionally to help set and measure a diver’s remaining air.

The important parts of the bezel and time hands of a diver’s watch are easily visible with luminescent and glow-in-the-dark markings for easy viewing. There are even Seiko mods that can replace low-visibility parts for better underwater performance.

Whether a separate digital timer is present for indicating remaining air levels, the bezel remains the main measurement indicator for a diver’s remaining air levels. It is the most dependable direct timer a diver has.

Bezel Positioning

The diver’s watch’s bezel is usually at its default upward 12 o’clock position. Upon diving, a diver can adjust this to help indicate the timer’s start for the remaining oxygen levels in the oxygen tank. The bezel’s start time on the downward arrow is rotated to align with the minute hand, and the remaining minutes are timed accordingly from here on.

A bidirectional bezel might help with readjusting the setting if it was moved accidentally during activities underwater. Some may prefer using a unidirectional version that only works in a clockwise manner. In any case, any preference is resolved by using the proper Seiko mods for easier deep dive usage.

A double crown diver’s watch is an advanced version with an extra crown angled at more or less around 45 degrees on the side of the watch. This version uses an internal bezel that cannot be moved or altered from the outside. The second crown is only controllable to avoid accidental movement and adjustment, providing an even more secure setting while traversing through underwater diving activity.

Additional Timing Details

Another important detail regarding measuring exact oxygen time underwater is the possible danger of absorbing nitrogen, especially for deeper dives. When a diver has overstayed deep underwater, they risk experiencing nitrogen narcosis, which causes dizziness and lightheadedness from absorbing compressed nitrogen due to increased water pressure the deeper they further dive.

An older technique used by some divers calls for measuring the total depth of the dive in feet and subtracting that from 120 to determine the total minutes you can stay in this depth without risking this condition. Divers who use this rule conveniently refer to their bezel timers to approximate how much they can stay in these depths without needing to decompress when they are after, to prevent experiencing nitrogen-induced dizziness.

Final Notes

Diver’s watches are impeccable performance timepieces that help measure time, including total oxygen time underwater. The bezel is the central part of their watch that helps divers measure their remaining time and overstaying time in deeper dives. They can choose from a unidirectional, bidirectional, or a twin crown-adorned internal bezel option to use for the best underwater performance.

Whatever the diver’s preference is, Seiko Mods will provide original and global quality standard Seiko watch parts that fit the exact specifications they need. We offer free shipping for all UK orders from £18 and up. Build that perfect mod with us today!